W.H.: There are no objections to Cordray on substance

1/24/13 12:40 PM EST

White House press secretary Jay Carney didn't exactly predict smooth sailing in the Senate for President Obama's renomination of Richard Cordray to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

But he suggested that any opposition to the pick would be rooted in ideological opposition to the bureau and not Cordray.

"I wouldn’t want to predict an outcome, except to say that there are no objections to him on substance," Carney said.

Obama, who planned to announce his renomination Thursday, first installed Cordray, a former Ohio attorney general, in a recess appointment in January 2012 after his nomination was blocked in Congress.

"When the president nominated Richard Cordray to this very important post, which provides important reforms ...to protect consumers, he was widely praised by Republicans and Democrats; he had worked with Republicans and Democrats in his position in Ohio," Carney said.

"There were no objections on substance to his nomination. Unfortunately, it was blocked because, for political considerations, because some folks in Congress don’t believe that we should have an effective Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The president strongly disagrees. The American people strongly disagree."

Carney said he hopes that strong bipartisan support for Cordray will persuade the Senate to "move forward and allow the up or down vote that he deserves."

"He is absolutely the right person for the job, he has done an excellent job in his position," he said.